Four years ago, Hayfield senior Sarah Gunter spontaneously tried out for lacrosse – a sport she knew nothing about. As far as impulse decisions go, it was a good one, because next fall, she will be playing Division I lacrosse at William and Mary.
Gunter was not always an athlete, but she’s always been busy. At six, she began playing piano competitively and then picked up the alto saxophone in fifth grade. During her time at Hayfield, she was a part of the wind ensemble and jazz band.
“Growing up, I was always surrounded by music and never participated in any sports,” said Gunter. “However, learning music gave me the discipline and work ethic to excel in sports.”
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Gunter was also a part of the varsity cheerleading squad during her freshman year and participated on the volleyball team her sophomore and junior years.
While she primarily is an attack wing for Hayfield’s lacrosse team, Gunter is quite versatile, able to play all of the positions on the field except for goalie.
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“Although there are times I wished I had started the sport at a younger age, I think one of the reasons I grew to love lacrosse so much was because I had so much to learn and catch up on,” said Gunter.
In the short time she’s been playing the sport she’s compiled plenty of memories. The most recent of which in the April 29 lacrosse game against Washington and Lee, which was also senior.
“We played hard but lost 11-9 in double overtime,” said Gunter. “I had to overcome a leg injury that occurred during the Yorktown game the night before.”
While many schools contacted Gunter to play lacrosse with them, she eventually decided on William and Mary, a college that excels at both academics and athletics.
"I also wanted to be close to home so it would be easier for my family to visit and attend my games,” said Gunter. “After visiting William and Mary over the summer, I grew to love the coaches, as well as the team. They created a family-like atmosphere.”
Gunter is interested in majoring in Elementary Education at William and Mary, and is looking forward to traveling with the lacrosse team. In the meantime, she and her teammates begin the playoffs on Friday.
